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31 August, 2017
17 September
4 Nikola Vucevic (MNE), Slovak Republic v Montenegro (Photo: Martin Havran)
19/06/2017
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Vucevic geared up to play with rising star Dubjlevic in Montenegro team

PODGORICA (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Montenegro center Nikola Vucevic is excited about the prospects of being in the same frontcourt this summer with Spanish Liga Endesa star Bojan Dubljevic.

Dubljevic is just a few days removed from leading Valencia Basket to their first-ever league title, something that was accomplished with a 3-1 Liga Endesa Play-Off finals series triumph over Real Madrid. Since the accomplishment, he has been hailed a hero in the Mediterranean city.

"He is such a talented and impactful player," Vucevic said to FIBA.com. "I'm very happy for him winning the Spanish league. We talk to each other pretty often and I like to play with him, even if we haven't spent that much time on the court together so far."

While Vucevic is an NBA center with the Orlando Magic, Dubljevic, a second round selection pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2013 draft, has remained in Europe and matured into one of the finest power forwards on the old continent.

He is a team player. He always puts the group on top of everything. He plays hard and puts a lot of physical impact in the game. I really like to watch him play.

Vucevic

Last summer, he played with Vucevic when Montenegro clinched a spot in FIBA EuroBasket 2017. Dubljevic, 25, is so highly thought of that he serves as the national team captain.

"He is a team player," Vucevic said. "He always puts the group on top of everything. He plays hard and puts a lot of physical impact in the game. I really like to watch him play."

Montenegro are going to need all the big men they can get this summer when running onto the floor in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, for Group C games at FIBA EuroBasket. Opponents will be Spain, Croatia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Romania.

"Having him playing with me against the Gasol brothers, for example, can be very useful," Vucevic said, "so I am looking forward to playing with him and my teammates."

Vucevic and Dubljevic will go up against Spain superstars Pau and Marc Gasol

Vucevic hopes the Balkan side will be able to show its best form on the big stage, something it did not do when the event was staged in Lithuania in 2011 and Slovenia in 2013. The team did not advance from the Group Phase. Montenegro did not qualify for FIBA EuroBasket 2015.

"Our last two European campaigns have been bad, that is true, but I think that we learned from those tournaments," Vucevic said. "We are more experienced now, and we want to show how competitive we can be this summer.

"We were frustrated from the 2011 and 2013 campaigns and we don't want to look at the past but only project ourselves for the future. We want to have a great tournament, first by having a great first round and then by going to the knockout stage and see what happens.

"We are motivated to show that Montenegro can compete at the highest level. We are ambitious and talented."

FIBA